Strategic alliance with Microsoft enables global enterprises to easily connect their networks to Windows Azure via Platform Equinix
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash. – October 7, 2013 – Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX, news, filings), the global interconnection and data center company, today announced a strategic relationship with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) that enables cloud connectivity to Windows Azure in key markets globally through Equinix International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers.
Highlights / Key Facts
- Windows Azure is an open and flexible cloud platform that enables customers to quickly build, deploy and manage applications. By taking advantage of Windows Azure, enterprises can flexibly build applications using any language, tool or framework.
- With this offering Equinix customers can connect their owned and managed infrastructure directly to Windows Azure via Platform Equinix™, establishing a private network connection that may reduce network costs, increase throughput, reduce latency and provide more consistent network performance than Internet-based connections.
- Connecting to Windows Azure through Platform Equinix allows enterprises to bridge their cloud and data center strategies allowing full integration between cloud services and internal applications, and flexible and dynamic bandwidth through automated network provisioning.
- A direct connection to Windows Azure will be available in multiple Equinix IBX data centers across the US in the first half of 2014. More details on locations will be shared when the solution becomes available.
- Equinix and Microsoft will be onboarding a small number of customers for early trials by the end of 2013.
- According to the Cisco Global Cloud Networking Survey, the adoption of cloud-based applications will continue to increase as enterprises achieve the benefits of cost savings, flexibility, and reduced operational demands. During the cloud migration process, data protection security was cited as the top obstacle to a successful implementation of cloud services (72 percent), followed by availability and reliability of cloud applications (67 percent), device-based security (66 percent), visibility and control of applications across the WAN (60 percent) and overall application performance (60 percent).
- Equinix data centers are an interconnection point for companies to gain direct and secure access to public and private cloud services. Once connected within an Equinix global data center, these businesses have the broadest selection of high-performance cloud services to create the architecture that best fits their objectives. Equinix offers direct access to a robust and dynamic cloud ecosystem for the rapid integration of services, technologies and customer opportunities, including more than 450 cloud, 950 networks and 600 IT service providers.
Quotes
- Satya Nadella, executive vice president of Cloud and Enterprise for Microsoft:
“Microsoft is committed to helping enterprises succeed as they move toward the cloud. Windows Azure provides customers with a variety of ways to connect in a manner that is private, fast and secure. The relationship with Equinix gives customers yet another seamless way to extend their on-premises network to Windows Azure by strategically using Equinix’s global data center footprint where businesses are already connecting to the cloud.” - Chris Sharp, general manager, Cloud, Equinix:
“Equinix’s neutral data center environment offers security, performance and a globally consistent experience for enterprises that are moving into the cloud. Through our relationship with Microsoft we can provide customers with direct connectivity to Windows Azure, opening up new opportunities in hybrid cloud computing.”
Additional Resources
About Equinix
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX), connects more than 4,000 companies directly to their customers and partners inside the world’s most networked data centers. Today, businesses leverage the Equinix interconnection platform in 31 strategic markets across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. www.equinix.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix’s recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
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